John Ortberg comments that the badge of doubt is often worn with pride (‘honest doubt’), but we seem embarrassed or even ashamed of faith (‘blind faith’).
But of course, he says, there are also such things as ’blind doubt’ and ‘honest faith’!
John Ortberg’s Book, Faith and Doubt, was published in 2008 by Zondervan.
‘Humanity should accept that science has eliminated the justification for believing in cosmic purpose, and that any survival of purpose is inspired only by sentiment.’ (Peter Atkins, Oxford Chemistry Professor)
‘It is fashionable to wax apocolyptic about the threat posed by the AIDS virus, “mad cow” disease and many others, but I think that a case can be made that faith is one of the world’s great evils, comparable to the smallpox virus but harder to eradicate. Faith, being belief that isn’t based on evidence, is the principal vice of any religion.’ (Richard Dawkins)
In his helpful litte book, God’s Words, J.I. Packer offers this summary of the teaching of the Letter to the Hebrews on faith:-
We must distinguish (writes that most accessible of all Puritans, Thomas Watson) between weakness of faith and no faith:-
Scholars (e.g. Leon Morris, Dictionary of Paul and his Letters) tell us that the Greek word ‘pistis’ usually means ‘faith’, but can occasionally signify ‘faithfulness’. The distinction is an important one, not least because it has a bearing on how relevant texts are interpreted in relation to the ‘New Perspectives on Paul’.
Text: Mark 5:21-43
The early chapters of the Gospel of Mark present a number of aspects of Jesus as healer. They teach of his healing power, his healing touch, and his healing word. In this passage, it is healing faith that comes to the foreground. I would like to assume that you have been impressed by his great power, attracted by his compassionate touch, convinced by his authoritative word. I would like to encourage you to have faith in Jesus the healer. Come to him, whoever you are. Come to him, however you feel. Come to him, and you will not be disappointed.
‘Faith,’ wrote Mark Twain, ’is believing what you know ain’t so.’
And according to H.L. Mencken, ‘faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable.’
Such conceptions of faith belong to the world of Alice in Wonderland:-
“Alice laughed: “There’s no use trying,” she said; “one can’t believe impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” (Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland)
